Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted that during his time as Manchester United manager, Manchester City were simply on another level.
The Norwegian coach managed United from 2018 to 2021, a period where Pep Guardiola’s side won two Premier League titles, including a domestic treble, another EFL Cup and reached a Champions League final.
As Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reflected on his time as Manchester United boss in an interview with the Athletic, he gave Manchester City the credit they deserve.
Ex-Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praises Manchester City
Since Pep Guardiola stepped foot on English sores, it seemed like he was a man on a mission to continue his dominance in yet another country.
After a first season where City finished third and trophy-less in what was a transition year, they went on to dominate English football in a similar way to Sir Alex Ferguson’s iconic sides of the past.
As Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw Manchester City sweep up trophies for fun and that too, in style, he admitted that they were simply on a different stratosphere to his side.
“I feel very, very privileged and honoured to have been the manager. But there was probably never a worse time to be the manager of Manchester United. City and Liverpool, sorry to say, have had the best years they have ever had. We never had that when I was a player. We had Arsenal, but that was it.”
Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer continues to give Manchester City their credit, saying, “You have to hold up your hands sometimes and say, ‘Yeah, they (City and Liverpool) were good.’ We got second and we got third. We still have an unbeaten away record in the Premier League, and that says something. But the competition gets harder and harder. It’s more and more difficult to stay at the top. All the other teams get more and more money. Every game is a hard one.”
Ultimately, even a Manchester United legend like Solskjaer cannot help but praise Manchester City, who will go down as one of the greatest club sides in the modern era, especially with the players being aware that a treble is on this season.
